Taking a Disciple
Some people even had a thought: Does this Mr. Shen perhaps not know how precious these pills are?
But then he thought again, that was impossible. How could he not know how precious something was?
Elder Yang didn't rush to answer. He picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and slowly began to talk about the auction.
"This year's auction was held in a small auditorium in Capital."
"Those who came were all among the wealthiest businessmen in the country; many were from the top 100, and there were also some celebrities."
"Most of those people know our background; it's like the three of us old fogies have given you free advertising."
"The competition for this very first one was exceptionally fierce, escalating all the way to 2.1 billion."
Shen Jingchuan was taken aback upon hearing this, and subconsciously said, "Sold so much? I thought it would be at most a few hundred million."
Elder Yang waved his hand. "First of all, the three of us are living advertisements. Look at our status; our credibility speaks for itself."
"Secondly, don't underestimate people's will to live."
"To live another fifty years, or to live a healthy life, is something those rich people would sell their possessions to get their hands on."
"The second one sold for 2.2 billion."
"This third one, because it was the last one, doubled in price, reaching 4.8 billion."
"Young Friend Shen, this time, should I have someone transfer the money to you, or should I follow the old custom and transfer it to that girl Meng Ke?"
"There were no handling fees at the auction; only taxes were paid according to national regulations."
Shen Jingchuan replied almost without hesitation, "Give it to her."
He could tell at a glance that there was some concern in Elder Yang, so he took the initiative to explain.
"Elder Yang, don't overthink it. Meng Ke and I just had a little disagreement. It's nothing serious, give it to her anyway."
Shen Jingchuan smiled again and continued, "Besides, although the auction didn't charge a handling fee, the three of you have done me a great job advertising, so I have to pay you for that."
He spoke half-jokingly and half-seriously, then took out three brocade pouches from his Ring and placed them in front of the three of them.
"Inside is a jade pendant and several Spirit Stones for energy supply."
"You don't need to open it; just carry the whole pouch with you."
"It nourishes the body normally, and can save your life in critical moments; it can even defend against ordinary bullets."
Upon hearing this, everyone at the table looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock.
This advertising fee is incredibly expensive; it's practically giving someone another life.
The three old men quickly picked up the brocade pouch, brought it close to their eyes, and examined it carefully, as if it were some kind of treasure. They then carefully put it into their pockets.
They believed everything Shen Jingchuan said without a doubt.
Elder Yang spoke first, clasping his hands in a fist salute, and said with emotion, "Young Friend Shen, you're still so polite."
"But this advertising fee is incredibly useful to us three old guys."
"Then we'll swallow our pride and accept it."
"Saying too many words of thanks can make us seem distant. I think this glass of wine is a token of my gratitude."
As they spoke, the three old men stood up together, raised their wine glasses, and handed them to Shen Jingchuan.
Seeing their elders stand up, the younger generation at the table couldn't stay seated any longer and quickly stood up as well, raising their glasses to join in.
Everyone sat down again. Elder Wang put down his wine glass and said, "Little Shen, this is only the first time we've held an auction."
"Our relevant departments have received official letters from some high-ranking foreign officials; they also wish to participate openly and legitimately in the auction of these Life-Extending Pills."
"As far as we know, that last one was bought by a domestic businessman through them, and eventually ended up overseas."
"If these three pills they take this year really have a miraculous effect, then the efficacy of the medicine will be even more confirmed."
"Just you wait until next year, prices will go up again."
Elder Li nodded in agreement and chimed in, "That's right. This year it's just the three of us, but next year there will be six."
"Those two scientists are world-renowned figures; the whole world is watching their health."
What could cause someone to suddenly become young again?
"Several high-ranking officials from various countries have also sent official letters hoping that this drug can be made available to the world. We'd like to hear your opinion, Young Friend Shen."
Shen Jingchuan lowered his eyes, pondered for a moment, and then slowly spoke.
"How about this, I think it would be better to split it into two matches."
The first auction is held in early January each year and is only open to domestic buyers; the second auction is held in July each year and is open to people from all over the world.
The source of the money must be strictly controlled.
"I will take out five more coins, one of which I will give away free of charge to someone in this world who has made a great contribution to all mankind."
"The specific arrangements and who to give them to will have to be decided by the three elders on my behalf."
"I'm usually too busy with other things, so I'll send the pills over myself before the auction."
He laughed as he spoke.
"I feel a little embarrassed to earn money from people in our own country, but I don't care about foreigners' money."
"But then again, those who have made great contributions to all of humanity transcend national boundaries and may not be able to afford this money, yet we cannot do without such people."
"From now on, it's up to the three of you to decide who gets the coins. I'll only charge for four out of five."
These words moved everyone at the table, and all those present looked at Shen Jingchuan with admiration in their eyes.
Throughout history, there have always been people whose abilities are a shared treasure of all humankind and should not be held back by a nationality.
The three old men exchanged glances, nodded emphatically, and agreed.
They then stopped talking about serious matters, raised their glasses again, and chatted about lighthearted topics, and the lively atmosphere returned to normal.
Yang Xiao had been holding back for a while, but finally couldn't resist turning around and looking at Shen Jingchuan expectantly.
"Mr. Shen, I heard from my grandfather that your martial arts are exceptionally powerful, and your techniques are completely different from what we usually learn."
She swallowed hard, as if making a huge decision, before asking in a low voice, "I... can I become your apprentice?"
As soon as she said it, she blushed and quickly added another sentence.
"I know this request is excessive; such martial arts techniques are mostly kept secret."
"But I've loved martial arts since I was a child, and I couldn't resist asking you for it."
She spoke softly, but Elder Yang, sitting beside her, heard her clearly. He remained silent, pretending not to hear, thinking to himself, "This granddaughter is really shrewd."
Shen Jingchuan was taken aback when he heard this.
He looked up at Yang Xiao, staring into her eyes for a moment. He could sense that the girl's eyes were pure, without any hint of concealment. She seemed to be someone who was simply infatuated with martial arts, not someone who had been conspiring against him.
He then realized that although the girl's voice wasn't loud, Elder Yang next to her had clearly heard her. The old fox, however, had remained silent, clearly having the same idea in mind, though he didn't seem to be the one directing it from behind.
Shen Jingchuan silently considered that, apart from those old men, he really didn't have much contact with the younger generation in this world, so taking on a disciple wasn't out of the question.
Moreover, Spiritual Qi on Earth is scarce. Without a large amount of Spirit Stones and pills to support cultivation, one simply cannot achieve anything significant. Whether or not to give them, and how much to give, is entirely up to her. It's not that she can necessarily achieve anything just because she wants to cultivate.
Having such an apprentice by my side, especially with his good family background, makes things much easier when I need to get things done for him. As for how to train him, we'll see how things go later.